Life Is About Relationships
May 3 and still ice on the lakes. My yard high on Bear Mountain is down to about a foot of snow. Think about it- COLD makes things HARD. Water freezes, and if the cold continues, the ice gets thick enough to drive on. In fact, it gets thick enough to build a fire on. For me, the wilderness experience is all about the fish and game and the country I'm in. For my kids it was all about the snacks and the campfire... even in the winter... even on the ice. But here's the thing- it PLEASED me to bless them. It PLEASED me to do the extra work, spend the extra money. and spend the extra time doing something (in this case) wholly unrelated to catching fish. Why?
Because I wanted them to enjoy the experience. I wanted them to laugh together and have fun. The fish were an exciting bonus, but the smiles and laughter and memories are what I was after. There are times in life when I've been utterly too serious- when I've been so focused on the task at hand that I 'pushed hard' rather than 'led well.'
Friends, this life is about relationships- first with Jesus Christ and then with one another. If you miss the first, the second doesn't matter. Pray together, laugh together, make life 'special' for those around you, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Ice fishing years ago with my 'gang' of teenagers.
Written on May 3, 2026
Posted in Daily Devotions